Originally the prestigious game of baccarat was associated with the rich and famous. In the game’s early days, if you wanted to see some fine tuxedo’s and designer gowns you needed only find a baccarat table. Why so elite? It used to be that the game would be played with cold hard cash on the table but, thanks to casino chips and online casinos, it’s a lot more accessible nowadays. This is great news for casino enthusiasts who love the game but don’t love getting all dressed up.

The objective of baccarat is to make a hand value of nine. All cards use their face value and the face cards have no value at all. It’s an entertaining game to play which is why it has enjoyed its status as one of the most popular games in the casino. The long history of the game, in our opinion, is just as fascinating. Here are a few fun facts that we managed to dig up on the subject of baccarat.

Everybody knows that James Bond was fond of baccarat but few know this: when Bond plays against Xenia in Goldeneye, his last hand against her is a king and a queen and a six and this turns out to be a winning hand. Because all face cards have the value of 0, the value of his cards was, in order, 006 the code name of the movies villain, Alec Trevelyan.

The 1970s musical stylist, Burt Bacharach has nothing to do with Baccarat.

Baccarat has a relatively low house edge. The ‘banker bet’ for a 6 or 8 deck show is 1.06%. On the first night that the game was played at the Sands Casino in Las Vegas, the Sands loses were $250,000 in one night. And the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia lost $55 million in one month alone.

When the game came to North America by way of various other colonies the game changed slightly to remove the element of skill and it was known as Punto Banco which translates from Spanish as “player”, “banker”

Mini-baccarat is a version of the game that features lower table limits and simplified rules. This version has attracted players with a more moderate bankroll and thus can be accredited for popularizing the game we now all love to play.

Now that you know a bit more about this iconic casino game you may just feel inclined to give it a try. Next time you’re in the mood to play something a little classier, keep in mind that there are is a seat with your name on it at Bodog Casino.

Our Rating:

Now this is a game that combines all the trappings of a fantastic space odyssey with the enduring symbol of wealth: Diamonds. We’ve tried out this gem of a game and can safely say that we had a blast. While the theme does stretch the imagination a little, there’s nothing complicated about this game. From its jackpot of 1,500 coins to stellar graphics, the features on this slot provide just the right amount of flash while still staying true to good ol’ fashioned payouts and gameplay.

Diamond Dazzle is one of many new slots by Rival, a leading North American game developer, that have been added to Bodog Casino’s ever-growing roster of online games. While the overall concept of this game might seem a bit on the fantastical side (precious jewels in space?), we’re positive that old school slots players who don’t have too much patience for overly animated graphics will find just what they need with this game.

Simplicity is the name of the game with Diamond Dazzle. There’s a nice cohesion to the jewel theme – with symbols ranging from rubies to small, medium and large diamonds. The interface looks good and, at the same time, doesn’t distract from the real goal: to score. When you’re hunting for your big payout, you don’t want too many bells and whistles getting in the way remembering the winning combinations.

As for the features, we’re happy to say that Diamond Dazzle is an excellent choice for players who want to score big. The scatter symbol in this game is a black gem, which will reward you anytime at least one of its kind appears on a winning payline. What’s more, you don’t actually have to line up three symbols of the same variety to score because Diamond Dazzle does things differently: you get prizes for landing combinations. That’s a big boost to anyone’s bankroll because this means that payouts in this game are fairly regular. If you luck out with landing a winning combination of a small, medium and large diamond (in that exact order), you’ll score an even heftier payout.

Features aside, perhaps the only downside to the game is its jackpot of 1,500 coins, which isn’t exactly much to write home about. Still, this just means that Diamond Dazzle is inexpensive to play, so you can go ahead and try this game out regardless of your bankroll. Diamond Dazzle gets a solid 3 stars from us.

Gamblers are probably among the most superstitious people on the planet which is why luck charms, and strange rituals are nothing out of the ordinary in a casino. If you’re looking for ways to attract lady luck, here is a list of the five tried-and-true superstitions that millions of people swear by—but you’ll have to try them out to see if they work for you!

Carrying around lucky charms is certainly the most popular superstition out there. A rabbit’s foot is one of the most popular good luck charms in North American culture. According to some sources, the folklore deems a rabbit’s foot lucky if it is the left hind foot of a rabbit that has been shot or captured in a cemetery. For some, the moon cycle during the rabbit’s death is also an important factor and some even insist that the foot must be cut off while the rabbit is still alive.

Many believe that it is unlucky to enter a casino by way of the front entrance. This superstition originated at the MGM themed casino in Vegas that had a lion’s mouth for an entrance. Many patrons had an unlucky experience when they entered this way and as a result would refuse to enter or exit through the mouth of the lion.

Kenny Rogers sang ‘You never count your money when your’re sittin’ at the table, there’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done”. Whether or not this superstition predates the song, it’s hard to know for sure but superstitious casino goers play it safe by heading this advice. This song is probably the reason why you’ll rarely see people counting their money ‘until the dealin’s done’.

Whistling while you’re gambling is thought to be bad luck. If you, or someone around you starts to hum, sing or whistle while you’re at a casino table it could mean bad luck. Whistling is often a way for people to conceal their discomfort and for that reason superstitious gamblers believe that it’s a bad sign. Try to keep this in mind next time you have the urge to sing around a blackjack table, your musical proclivities may not be appreciated.

It’s time to start giving a crap about craps. This well-known table game is a staple in pretty much every casino out there. Have you seen people huddling around a table, cheering outrageously? That’s probably a craps table. Read on to discover everything you need to know about the popular dice game.

Where did the game’s name come from?

Craps is based on the 2000-year-old British dice game known as Hazard that was brought over to Nova Scotia and New Orleans by French settlers. In this archetypal version of the game, one of the rolls was referred to as “crabs,” but, because it was said in a French accent, Americans misheard it as “craps.” The Americans simplified the game, the name stuck and the rest is history.

Where do the dice come from?

Thanks to the popularity of craps, one dice manufacturer in Las Vegas supplies casinos with over 25,000 pairs of dice every month—that’s a lot of dice. The reason they manufacture so many is because the industry requires that dice be replaced every 2,000 rolls. The strict practice is meant to prevent the dice from being altered in a way that could give players an edge.

Why do ladies blow on the dice?

If you’ve ever wondered why Frank Sinatra sang “a lady doesn’t wander all over the room and blow on some other guy’s dice,” the lyric was in reference to a popular superstition that a lady blowing on your dice before you roll will achieve winning results. The Luck be a lady lyrics could therefore be interpreted as a commentary on the fidelity of luck.

How far should you throw the dice?

In most games of craps the dice must make it to the furthest end of the table in order to be considered valid. The shooter should be very careful not to roll them too far, however, since another common superstition is that it’s bad luck if the dice bounce off the table.

What other superstitions are connected with craps?

It is said that female virgin shooters are good luck, but male virgin shooters are bad luck. The meaning of the word “virgin” in this case isn’t what you might think. The superstition actually refers to a player who has never played the game before.

So there you have it – Craps has a fascinating backstory of its own. Head on over to our casino today and who knows, maybe lady luck will be there waiting.

Our Rating:

Recently tasked with trying out Bodog Casino’s Bust-A-Vault – a classic 3-reel, single line game powered by Rival – we’re fully convinced that we’ve found the ideal online slot game for beginners and classic slot lovers alike. From its crystal clear interface and convenient in-play paytable to its simple mechanics, you’re in for incredibly smooth spinning sessions when you play this game.

Let’s start with the basics: theme, graphics and sound. As far as the storyline goes, it’s pretty vanilla. We’ve seen the bank heist theme many times before, and the fact that the only symbol in line with the theme is a Green Vault is a little disappointing. Considering this game is an i-Slot designed by Rival Gaming, we felt the graphics could have been a little stronger; however, the simplicity of the artwork makes for one of the smoothest slot interfaces we’ve ever seen. As for the soundtrack, it’s perfectly suited to the theme, capturing the intensity of a bank heist without being overbearing.

The Wild Multiplier Symbol is the only feature Bust-A-Vault has to offer. The Green Vault acts as a wild, which substitutes and multiplies winning combinations by the multiplier listed on the paytable. Line up three of these symbols and you’ll score 2,000 coins – the game’s maximum payout. Another symbol you will want to watch out for is the Cherry. If one, two or three of them appear anywhere on the payline, you’ll be able to add a few more coins to your bankroll.

What we liked most about this game is its built-in paytable. No need to leave the main screen to figure out what you need to line up or why you’ve won. Any time you hit a winning combination, the amount you win is highlighted in the table, alongside its corresponding symbol combination. This allows beginners to fully grasp why they’ve won and what it will take for them to win more which, in more complex games, isn’t always so obvious.

Though this casino game is ideal for anyone new to the world of online slots, intermediate and advanced players be warned: if you’re in the mood for a challenge, you may find this game a bit of a snooze. That being said, we’re giving Bust-A-Vault 3.5 stars and urge all beginners to make their casino debuts by spinning this game. The theme and graphics may be plain, but more often than not simplicity can go a long way, as is the case with this game.

Blackjack is hands down the most popular casino game out there. It could be because of the low house edge or it could be because many people enjoy skill-testing games; either way, this game really knows how to draw in a crowd. Read on to learn five interesting facts about blackjack for the next time you find yourself hovering around the blackjack table.

Where did blackjack come from?

Originally, the game of blackjack was called “Vingt-et-Un”, which means 21 in French due to the game’s French origins. The game is still casually referred to as twenty-one in most casinos.

Why is it called “blackjack”?

You might be wondering when Vingt-et-Un changed its name to blackjack. When the game made its way to America, the name changed due to an appealing bonus given to players for receiving either a jack of spades or a jack of clubs.

Napoleon Bonaparte’s favourite hobby was Blackjack.

It’s a well-known fact that Napoleon was an avid blackjack player and would use this game to kill time while in Exile on the isle of Elba.

Blackjack gave rise to Las Vegas.

Up until the 1930s blackjack was banned in the United States and could only be played underground. Eventually the state of Nevada legalized blackjack and the Las Vegas strip grew from there.

What is a “snapper”?

In blackjack, a “snapper” refers to a natural blackjack which is when a player is dealt an ace and a face card. The chances of getting a snapper are 4.8%, so the typical reaction to receiving such a lucky hand is to snap down the cards right away, hence the name snapper.

Now that you know some obscure facts about the most popular casino game out there, you’ll be able to take on the dealer like a seasoned pro—or at least you’ll sound like one.

Our Rating:

Golden Gorilla is one of the wildest new releases from Rival and we couldn’t resist taking it for a test spin. It’s loaded with special features, in-your-face graphics and an intoxicating theme that’s sure to give you jungle fever. If you were born to be wild, we highly recommend visiting Bodog Casino to give this action-packed video slot a try.

From the moment you hit “Spin”, you’ll notice that the name of this game is high-energy entertainment. The jungle theme is achieved with the game’s top-of-the-line graphics and engaging sound effects, both of which help to create a dynamic energy. As for the symbols, you’ll find Monkeys, Dinosaurs, Snakes, Tigers, Exotic Fruit, Flowers as well as treasures like a Dinosaur Egg, a Stone Gorilla Head, a Golden Medallion and a Golden Gorilla Idol. If you can claim any of these rare finds you’re golden. Just click on the paytable to find out what each symbol is worth and start spinning. The game is quite easy to navigate so you shouldn’t have any difficulty getting into the swing of it.

Be on the lookout for the expanding Wild Silverback Gorilla icon that frequently jumps off the reels while helping you form winning combinations. To trigger free spins, all you have to do is line up three or more Golden Gorilla Idols. During your Free Spins Round, if you can land another three of them you’ll enter the Golden Gorilla Super Round where things really start to get wild. In this round you’ll be tasked with smashing all the Golden Gorilla statues to pieces to reveal their hidden coin value.

With all the different mini games and fun graphics this game offers up, there’s never a dull moment, which is what really won us over. If you’re looking for an entertaining game jam-packed with bonus features, you’ll definitely want to try out Golden Gorilla, which we’ve given a 5-star rating.

Our Rating:

Rival’s Asian-themed iSlot, Panda Party, just recently made its debut at Bodog Casino and we were lucky enough to give it a test spin. From its theme, graphics and sound to its impressive bonus elements, this feature-rich, 5-reel, 20-line slot is certainly worth playing.

This game revolves around pandas partying it up in one of China’s many bamboo forests. Though the game’s intro is a little underwhelming, as soon as it ends the soundtrack kicks in and players are given information on how to trigger the Pandamonium Bonus Round (we enjoyed the helpful tip and the clever play on words).

Though the art work is certainly on point, we found that it actually wound up cluttering the layout of the game. The graphics themselves are excellent, but there’s a lot going on here. Those who aren’t used to navigating the interface of a multi-line slot may find it a bit overwhelming for the first few spins.

As far as game features go, this online slot is packed with them, so expect frequent and sizeable payouts as you spin. The Panda Wild replaces any other symbol to form winning lines. Add to this wild multipliers, which vary depending on whether you’re spinning during normal play, Free Spins Mode, the Super Round or the Pandamonium Round, and you’re in for a wild time. The Dancing Panda functions as the game’s scatter symbol, awarding players anywhere between one and 40 free spins when three or more of these symbols show up on screen.

Though these standard bonus features are great, there’s no question that the life of this party is the Pandamonium Round, which is triggered when three Red Lanterns appear anywhere on the reels. Not only does this round award free spins, it also turns scatter symbols into jackpot symbols, which pay up to 1,500 coins when you land five-of-a-kind. What’s more, Panda symbols become drop icons where additional multipliers can be won. If you trigger this feature, your chances of winning big are huge.

As for our final verdict? We’re giving this game a 4-star rating. Our overall experience with this game was a good one. Sure, the name of the game is a tad childish and the interface may be a bit busy, but Panda Party’s special features definitely make up for these two shortcomings. If you’re a beginner, we suggest you study the paytable and spin it in practice mode, allowing you to play for free. Experienced players should go all out and aim for the Pandamonium Round – trust us, you will not be disappointed.

Welcome to the Bodog Casino Blog!

Make sure you’re always on top of your game by checking us out regularly. The Bodog Casino Blog is the place to get connected. Here you’re going to find out about the hottest places to stay in Vegas, the best new gear to buy, awesome reviews for current casino games as well as new games that have just hit the market, and casino trivia that’s sure to have even the most seasoned players raising their eyebrows. Scroll through the blog or navigate through the pages to see what’s in it for you.

Maximizing your bets and sticking to the optimal strategy can win you 99.54 of your wagers. That means the house has an edge of only 0.46 percent.

Add Credits for Great Payouts

When it comes to Video Poker, going from one credit to five is like going from a minivan to a Ferrari: A royal flush with one credit is a 250 credit win, 500 with two coins, 750 with three coins, 1,000 with four coins and an astounding 4,000 credits with five coins.

You Can Learn Video Poker for Free

Good news. If you’ve never played a game before, you can try it for free at Bodog Casino.

It’s Easy to Learn

If you know poker you’ll quickly figure out the video version. For example, Bonus Poker gives the player five cards from the dealer; the player then chooses which cards to keep or “hold.” Then the player can discard the remaining cards for new ones by pressing “deal.” The final hand is determined a winning hand if the player has a pair of Jacks or better.

Nine Different Versions to Play!

Bodog Casino has the most versions of Video Poker online, with nine different variations to play.

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No lines, no crowds. When you’re online, it’s just you and the dealer.

Online it’s Just You and the Table, No Distractions

Online poker is great, but sometimes we want to play the odds, not how someone reacts to a raise. Online Video Poker gives players the opportunity to play just the CPU for cash.

Play Video Poker Anywhere

Internet access lets you play everywhere, anywhere – even on the beach! You can also play Video Poker on any of your mobile devices.

Play Video Poker Anytime

A live casino sometimes has closing hours; they could kick you out just when you hit a winning streak! The Bodog Casino is 24/7 365, so it’s up to you when to stop.

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About Us

Welcome to Bodog Casino Blog – the ultimate destination for players looking for the latest news and tips on all things casino.

The Bodog Casino blog is your one-stop shop for everything you’ll need to ensure you’re hitting our online casino in style. Here you’ll enjoy articles covering popular strategies and industry news, so you should be able to spin, shuffle and roll with the best of them.